Air for Removal

After the United States achieved its
independence in the late 18th Century, restless settlers, hungry for new
lands and opportunities, increased migration pressure on the Seminole, who were
living peacefully in the savannas of Florida. This pressure, in conjunction with European
politics and the knowledge that Southern slaves were finding shelter in the
Seminole lands, created friction and eventually war in the region. Three of these conflicts, known as the Seminole Wars (1818–1858)
resulted in the removal of almost the entire population of Seminoles and Black
Seminoles (Freedmen) to the Indian Territory west of
the Mississippi
River.